The Basics
Starter Set is a new feature from StartPlaying designed to make it incredibly easy for new players to find a Dungeon Master and... Start Playing!
Only select DMs are eligible for Starter Set. If chosen, you need to create a Starter Set Template to participate. To do this, go to your Listings page and click Create Template.
You will have the choice between a Starter Set Template and Standard template. Select Starter Set.
Like any Game Template, you will need to fill out all the information about your adventure. However, with a Starter Set template, some sections will be pre-filled to ensure a uniform experience for new players.
The pre-set sections are as follows:
Title - "Learn to Play Dungeons & Dragons"
Format - One-Shot
Game System - D&D 5e
Session Duration - 2 Hours
Player Age Range - 18+
Session Cost - $15
Safety Tools - Breaks, Deck of Player Safety, Open Door, Session 0, Stars and Wishes, X/N/O Cards
Experience Required - Beginner
Game Platforms - Roll20
Character Creation - "(GM's Name) will provide pre-made character sheets for you to choose from after you sign up or at the start of the game."
All Starter Set games are required to comply with this standardized format.
Once you create a Starter Set template, you can create an Adventure with it and schedule your session. Starter Set Adventures are not visible in search, and instead or only accessible through the Starter Set Quiz.
Much like in creating the Template, scheduling the Adventure also has several fields that are pre-selected. All Starter Set games will be for 2-6 players, and have a cut off time of 1 hour. All Starter Set games also run at pre-selected times, based on our user research of player availability. These times may expand in the future.
Additional Questions
What Level Should Characters Be?
We recommend your pre-generated characters be anywhere from Level 1-3. These are folks who have never played D&D before. We don’t want to over complicate their game with too many abilities and stat blocks!
What Adventure Should I Run?
You can run any adventure you want, as long as it is beginner friendly. If you need a starting place, we recommend checking out these resources as inspiration for quick, beginner friendly adventures:
Pre-Written Adventures
Resources for Creating Adventures
Biggest Advice: Keep it Simple!
The entire session runs 2 hours, including your intros and closing the game. You'll also be answering questions from beginners (there's a lot to look at on that character sheet!), so keep it simple for you and your players.
Give them a taste of the fundamentals of D&D (exploration, social interaction, and combat), but don’t get too in the weeds.